Sunday, February 24, 2008

At the end of a long hard week there is nothing like a shopping spree to lighten a girl's mood . . . Well, okay, maybe multiple orgasms are better (or dark chocolate--especially if it is smeared on a tasty man--which, of course, can lead to the MOs), but serious shopping is the next best thing. So when I heard about the new clothing line a certain tasty man has been building I just had to go buy a new dress.

When I saw it I knew I needed two! One in each color. The dress, by Bird of Prey, is called "Choir"--all slinky black with a gorgeous Celtic cross in scarlet or ivory on the mandarin-collared bodice, on panels of the prim skirt, and on the gauntlet-cuffed gloves. I'm wearing it here with my thigh-high black boots by DE Designs, and the Mata Hari bracelet by Random Calliope. The hair is "Amber" by Callico Creations, in both sunkissed and golden versions of blonde. You can find Bird of Prey shops in the vendor areas of Blue Noise and Bloodforge dance clubs.

Now all I need is a TP to the nearest "Best in Gothic" contest . . . So who wants to take me dancing?

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Last night was an "Angels and Demons" event at Blue Noise Hideaway in Waterton, so I dug out my favorite Seraphim wings from Material Squirrel and put my dancing shoes on (my favorite Diamond Stilettos from Awori Cassini) and headed on down. My angel outfit top and thong are the FaeSilks Ice Princess from Suki's Silks, but the with that top skirt was lace and I just didn't like the look of it, so I wore the white Harem Skirt, also by Suki, which fastened nicely to my thong with its bit of gold jewelry. My jewelry is the Ode in Amber series from Random Calliope's most recent butterfly hunt--a gift I got from a special man who went collecting the jewelry laden butterflies on Valentine's Day. I was pretty pleased at the mix and match angel outfit, especially since my fur cuffs gave off fairy lights and my halo (a freebie I picked up ages ago) and shoes had lots of bling! I was the brightest angel in the bunch! Here's my angelic boys from another angle, that's Jerzy on the left and Porkie on the right, and there's Katie, MicahJohn, Cutiepie, and Zach in the background. Another fun evening for everyone at the Blue Noise!

Monday, February 11, 2008

There are many galleries and museums in SL, but none that boasts such a rich history as the Crescent Moon Museum in FairChang Village. Owned and run by Tayzia Abbatoir, this museum has some of the most unique examples of the kind of art that is NPIRL (not possible in real life) and in such a large collection that the displays are changed on a bi-weekly basis. The Crescent Moon is also the oldest museum in SL dating back to 2004, when Ms. Abbatoir began collecting the works of the infamous builder Starax Statosky. Since August of 2007 is has been housed on FairChang Island in a grand ballroom build by Random Calliope, the famous jewelry designer who has placed his well-known Mata Hari's Jewelry Quest there.

When I visited the museum recently I was delighted by the wit of some of the exhibits, such as the multi-figured "Primolution" showing the evolution from prim to avatar by Stella Costello, and the ever-changing metallic puzzle, "Tricky #1, by Yoa Ogee, or the amusingly morose figure of "Sad Bob" by Red Levitt. By far, however, my favorite pieces on display were the series of Top Hats by Spiral Walcher. Each of these delightful whimsies is a tiny world of its own complete with a miniscule three-dimensional dioramic scene built inside. You can find everything in these hats from a factory complete with steampipes to a dinner table set in a wheat field. Of course anyone who has toured the museum could not resist taking the Mata Hari jewelry challenge, and I am no exception. The challenge begins with a box on the mantelpiece over the fireplace. In the memorabilia box the quester will find many interesting photos and unsent postcards, notes from Margarete to Random, and a seashell brooch. You must read all the notecards and discover the tragic tale of unfullfilled romance of Random and the entertainer known as Mata Hari. Mr. Calliope has based this quest very cleverly on the story of the real Mata Hari, Margarete Zelle, who was shot by the French as a spy in October of 1917. Be careful when you try this challenge, Dear Readers, not to dismiss any detail you uncover as insignificant! Random Calliope has demonstrated not only a brilliant imagination here, but also that he has a remarkably romantic soul.I was very fortunate while embarking on the challenge to encounter an attractive, albeit somewhat mysterious, man--a fellow quester who very helpfully demonstrated just how Random Calliope kissed Margarete after her performance in his ballroom, the current home of the Crescent Museum. This . . . um . . . kind gesture on his part led me to find the ring as well as the first few clues. Armed with that information I intend to pursue to the end this quest to find Margarete's jewelry and to, perhaps, meet my charming fellow quester once more. I shall endeavor to keep you posted on my . . . um . . . further adventures there.

In the meantime, take a trip yourselves to FairChang Island and discover the Crescent Museum, a place where so much of what is best about Second Life--art, music, dance, creativity, and romance--can be found.